With a looming trade war and an uneasy diplomatic relationship with US President Donald Trump, members of the US Democratic party insist that a strong partnership between Washington and Brussels is more crucial than ever.
"The future of the world depends on the United States and Europe being partners in everything," according to Chris Murphy, a Senator representing the US Democrats from Connecticut, speaking to RFI ahead of a crucial two-day NATO summit held in the Netherlands last Tuesday.
"Partners in the defence of democracy, partners in trying to stop China from controlling the piping of the international economy, partners in technological development and advancement."
Murphy, who visited Paris earlier this month, met President Macron's top national security advisor Emmanuel Bonne.
He also lectured at Paris' prestigious Sciences-Po and attended the Paris air show before heading to Romania for a meeting with the newly elected, pro-EU president Nicusor Dan.
'Picking fights'
Worried that US President Donald Trump is estranging the US's EU partners, Murphy's is keen to smooth over any concerns harboured by European policy makers.
"It's painful to watch President Trump pick fights with Europe, to look to our adversaries like Russia as his closest companions," he told RFI.
Trump has clearly divided the European, with Hungary's Viktor Orban and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni both vocally supportive of him – while others are more wary.
"It's an open secret that Trump's political infrastructure has been working with Orban," Murphy says.
"Trump doesn't want American democracy to persevere. He wants to transition America to some form of quasi-democracy, quasi-autocracy. He's learned lessons from people like Viktor Orban and [Turkey's Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, who have engaged in this transition. He's copying what they have done."
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Despite this political shift, and Trump's threats to pull away from certain partnerships, Murphy says "there are still a lot of folks in Congress, mostly Democrats, but Republicans too, who really want to grow this partnership" with the EU.
He admits that "Europe and the United States aren't going to agree on everything," but stressed that there is " just no way to solve any of the big challenges today that confront the globe without the United States and Europe being partners."
'Underlying tensions'
One of the main pillars symbolising the US-EU relationship is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
The alliance's summit in The Hague resulted in a historic defense spending pledge, with member countries agreeing to invest 5 percent of GDP annually by 2035 – 3.5 percent for core defense capabilities and 1.5 percent for related infrastructure and innovation.
This marks a significant increase from the previous 2 percent target, aiming to strengthen NATO’s collective defense and support for Ukraine amid ongoing security challenges.
Despite this financial commitment, the summit revealed underlying tensions, notably the alliance’s dependence on US leadership under Trump and differing views on burden-sharing.
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Some members, like Spain, rejected the new spending target, while others sought exemptions, highlighting challenges in maintaining unity.
The summit prioritised economic investment over detailed strategic planning, reflecting a shift in NATO’s approach to security amid evolving geopolitical dynamics.
Looming tariffs deadline
On the economic front, Trump's administration could extend a 9 July deadline when higher tariffs on imports from dozens of countries are set to kick in, the White House said last week.
While Trump has imposed a sweeping 10 percent tariff on most US trading partners this year, he unveiled – then halted – steeper rates on dozens of economies while negotiations took place.
The EU has put a zero-percent tariff proposal on the table – but it's widely seen as a non-starter in talks with Washington.
According to several diplomats, the goal at this point is rather to let Trump claim victory without agreeing a deal that would significantly hurt Europe.
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One diplomat suggested leaders would be happy with a "Swiss cheese" agreement – with a general US levy on European imports, but enough loopholes to shield key sectors such as steel, automobiles, pharmaceuticals and aeronautics.
This would be less painful than the status quo with European companies currently facing 25-percent tariffs on steel, aluminium and auto goods exported to the United States, and 10 percent on a majority of EU products.
If no agreement is reached, the default tariff on EU imports is expected to double to 20 percent or even higher – Trump having at one point threatened 50 percent.
Unlike Canada or China, which hit back swiftly at Trump's tariff hikes, the EU has consistently sought to negotiate with Trump – threatening retaliation only if no agreement is reached.
"We will not allow ourselves to be provoked, we will remain calm," said Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever last week, urging the EU to avert an all-out trade war with Washington.
